Posts Tagged ‘Cantonese Food’

After a change in management, Tim Ho Wan has gone through a menu revamp. I am glad to report that you can now expect many new creations as well as improved classics. Tim Ho Wan is also on another expansion plan. The latest outlet to open is the 11th outlet in Punggol Waterway Point, which would be most convenient for people living in the far north as there is no other Tim Ho Wan outlet nearby.

The last time I visited Tim Ho Wan was in late 2013. Since then, a number of outlets have opened and closed, such as the ones at Toa Payoh, Aperia Mall and Bedok Mall. To be frank, the food then did not impress me. It just didn’t strike me as Michelin quality, and certainly not worth the 1 to 2 hour queues then. There were some hits, but there were numerous misses too. Thankfully, I think with this current menu revamp, there are now more dishes worthy of trying. And with numerous outlets dotted over the Singapore, the queues aren’t as scary anymore. Scroll down to see which dishes I thought were great, and those that were not so. These were all tried at the new Punggol Waterway Point outlet.

The menu at Hai Tien Lo Pan Pacific Singapore has undergone a makeover now that new Executive Chef Ben Zeng has taken over the reins. Expect to see familiar Cantonese dishes being given a modern interpretation through the use of ingredient pairings, combination cooking methods and western cooking techniques, while still maintaining a traditional authenticity.

Executive Chef Zeng boasts more than 25 years of expertise in the culinary world, and has previously worked at illustrious Cantonese restaurants including Hakkasan Miami in America and Cassia at Capella Singapore, amongst others.

Scroll down to check out snippets of what to expect in Hai Tien Lo’s revamped menu.

Fans of Pan Pacific Hotel’s Hai Tien Lo Claypot dishes will be glad to know that the claypot promotion is back again, but only from now until 31 August 2018. The last time it was rolled out was in 2016, so don’t delay or you might have to wait another couple of years. This time round, you can choose any 2 claypot dishes for $38.80, a few dollars more expensive than back in 2016. It’s actually not a bad way to sample a variety of dishes that Hai Tien Lo has to offer, as compared to ordering from the usual menu.

I had the opportunity to sample around 10 of the 24 claypot specialities, and I have to applaud Executive Chef Lai Tong Ping because I liked all of the dishes I tried. If I had to choose, I would say that the Claypot Pork Shoulder with Assorted Bell Peppers in Truffle Oil is probably my favourite. The pork shoulder cut has always been my go to cut when I cook myself, as it is meaty and very tender and I’m sure this was the reason why Chef Lai used this cut in the dish as well. Tender pork plus crisp bell peppers with just a touch of truffle oil, I could have finished the entire claypot myself.

Pan Pacific Singapore’s renown Cantonese restaurant Hai Tien Lo has recently refreshed its dim sum buffet menu, so if you’re looking to indulge in multiple servings of dim sum, you might just want to check out Hai Tien Lo. The dim sum list isn’t very extensive, however there are also numerous main course type dishes to choose from, as well as special dishes. The special dishes are a must order because they are things like Mini Buddha Jumps over the Wall, and braised abalone. The pricing for the dim sum buffet, especially on the weekends seems relatively more affordable than other dim sum buffets from comparable hotels, based on my recollection.

The dim sum dishes I tried were all very good. I think you won’t go wrong with any dim sum dish that you order because this is certainly one of Hai Tien Lo’s expertise. Although the main dishes we tried were all good too, if I had to pick one, I would definitely recommend the poached sliced pork belly with shredded ginger in fish bone broth. The pork slices were melt in the mouth tender, and the fish bone broth was of the type of broth where you want to just keep drinking it because its richly flavoursome and nourishing.

For the desserts, go for the Chilled homemade bean curd with imperial swiftlet’s nest. The beancurd is not the old school type, if you know what I mean. And it has birds nest, so it’s self explanatory why you have to order this right? Also go for the Chilled osmanthus jelly with quail’s egg and maltose. It’s really light and with a nice fragrance, so it’s a fitting end to a heavy meal, unless of course you still have stomach space for a heavier dessert.

Scroll down to see a sampling of what I tried during the media tasting session.

How about living it up this Chinese New Year by getting Kam’s Roast Golden Duck flecked with 22-carat edible French Gold Flakes? Kam’s Roast usual Roast Duck costs $66, but if you want the Golden Duck, it costs $88. OK I guess most people would go for the original Roast Duck to save $22, but the Golden Duck might actually be a good gift for your business clients if you had to get a CNY gift for them!